


I reckon we'll be okay

by livesybaby



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Daddy!Aaron, Fluff, M/M, The Whites Exit, daddy!Robron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-28 11:53:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13270908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livesybaby/pseuds/livesybaby
Summary: Random drabble - Daddy!Robron.orWith the White's gone and the Sugden's in hospital, Aaron is Seb's only possible guardian.





	1. Chapter 1

It had been Aaron’s decision in the end, though everyone else likes to stick their oar in and try and blame Robert, it was always Robert’s fault - no matter how much control he had of a situation it always ended up being Robert who shouldered the blame, even when he was lost in a medically induced coma. 

If they had been together Aaron might have told Robert how stupid it was to abduct your own child, no matter how desperate things might have gotten. He might have also had words with Victoria, the one who was supposed to be the brains of the family and his words just might have stopped her from riding shotgun in the getaway car. 

The White’s were furious, more than furious, they were livid. Not only was Robert the source of every ounce of pain they’d endured over the last few years he was now about to leave with the only thing that made any of the suffering bearable, a tiny baby cradled in a Cosatto car seat - clutching a tiny toy lamb that they’d never admit his Daddy bought him. 

Lachlan had been crazed, psychotic even but whatever made him swerve the steering wheel of the car that day had been down to that family, not everything could be placed at Robert’s feet, he didn’t do that, he didn’t cause an entire family to perish in the path of an Eddie Stobart lorry on a cold January afternoon. But it was his heart that had been his own downfall - too worried about the family he’d ruined so badly that he had glanced back in the rear-view mirror and caught sight of their crushed 4x4, the horror on his face enough to distract him and Victoria from the oncoming Citroen that collided with them head on. 

The Doctor said that positioning the car seat behind the drivers seat had been what saved the little mite from a certain death. Robert himself had shielded his little boy from danger, taking the brunt force and throwing himself into a coma. Seb had escaped with a minor graze on his left arm and slight bruising from the protective straps of his seatbelt. Victoria had her knees smashed into the dashboard, lucky again to be on the lighter end of the scale, sure she’d need weeks of physio but at least she’d narrowly escaped with her life. It was Robert the doctors were worried for, his lung capacity was already that of a toddlers with the previous history of being shot but now with the bruised imprint of a steering wheel embedded in the flesh above his ribcage his breathing was worrying. 

The Doctors had safely put him into an induced coma, for his own safety - they’d said. Aaron had been first to find out, being his next of Kin since Robert had no one else, not any more. Chas had said he was crazy for letting himself be summoned to the hospital but he had to go, had to see for himself. He’d heard the rumours of a massive collision up on the way to Hotten but from the way the regulars had described the damage he knew he needed to see for himself. It had been Victoria who had explained the tragedy, how the White family had been killed on impact, how Robert hadn’t been conscious since it happened and how the baby, little Sebastian was on his own up in neo-natal with no visitors of his own, no next of kin because the only person left was laying in a hospital bed. 

Victoria had insisted that Aaron didn’t have to, but he _wanted_ to. As much as he was hurting inside, that little boy up there was a part of Robert and he couldn’t let him be alone, not now, not ever. He was told that because of Victoria’s condition she wouldn’t be capable to care for Seb, not while Robert lay in a hospital bed without an idea of when or if he’d come round. The alternative was that he’d stay in neo-natal until he had been checked over and then he’d be placed in temporary foster care until one of his family members were fit to take over his care, but that could be weeks and there was a voice screaming in Aaron’s head that overruled the others.. _he needs you._

That’s how, against Victoria’s advice he’d ended up standing in the doorway of the neo-natal unit, scanning the names on the board of patients, feeling completely out of his depth as he collected his thoughts.

“Can I help you?” a young Nurse asked, pausing to take in the image of the young man. 

He wondered if she was judging him there and then, thinking maybe he didn’t look like Dad material, didn’t look the type of bloke to be hovering around a children’s ward for anything other than being _dodgy_.

“I’m here for my..er.. for Seb… for Sebastian White.. he’s my-..”

She’d interrupted his fumbling with a song and dance about how she hadn’t expected any visitors for _the wee mite_ and how happy she was that he’d finally have somewhere to go because she’d _hate to see him shoved in one of those temporary foster placements_. She treated Aaron like a third parent, like he’d had any input at all in the welfare of the baby up until now. Aaron felt the guilt of what could have been sinking low in his stomach. He’d explained the situation as basically as he could, that he was the husband of Seb’s biological Dad, leaving out the messy breakup and all the awful things he’d said about the tiny baby. 

Then after checking his ID against the records on the computer she’d shown him to a private room where Sebastian lay in an NHS cot, monitors beeping around him but the same gummy grin he always had plastered on his face. She’d cooed over him, talking childlike and said _Daddy’s here now_ in a voice so soft that he didn’t have the heart to correct her. She’d been called to an emergency in another room, leaving Aaron with the baby on his own for the first time ever and he’d debated walking out of the ward and not coming back but there was this little blonde-haired bundle of blue eyes staring at him like he was the only thing he had left in the world, and he was in a way. 

They’d kept Sebastian in overnight just to monitor him and it had given Aaron chance to get his head around the idea of being his guardian. He’d told his Mum and Liv first, they’d both tried desperately to talk him out of such an absurd idea but he was dead-set on nothing changing his mind. Reluctantly they’d given in for now and Aaron was glad to get five minutes peace without someone pecking his head about Robert and how things always came back to him. 

He was told to collect Seb at lunchtime which gave him time to rearrange things in his room at the Mill, wondering how he was going to fit a baby into his already busy lifestyle. He realised all too late that he didn’t have any of Seb’s belongings and that going to Home Farm on a mission to collect supplies was a definite no-no, he was sat on the sofa scrolling through Amazon prime when Paddy walked in to save the day. 

Paddy was probably number 1 one the list of people who’s skin Robert had gotten under and so Aaron was shocked when he announced he was here to help. “He might be Roberts son, but _you’re mine_ ” Paddy had spoken softly, sharing a tearful smile with Aaron as they bundled into his car on an early morning mission to Mothercare. It had taken the best part of Aaron’s monthly wage to shell out for a new baby, the price of the travel system alone being the best part of a monthly shop but it had to be done, and Aaron had reasoned with himself that Robert would have done the same for him. 

By the time Sebastian was strapped in his new car seat and they were driving out of the hospital pay-and-display the gravity of the whole situation had began to sink in. Aaron had next-to-no prior knowledge of how to raise a child, sure he’d played a big part in being Leo’s godfather and he’d done his fair share of watching Isaac for an hour or two but that didn’t factor in the sleepless nights and screaming tantrums he would have to endure. He began to panic, glancing frequently in the rear-view mirror as the baby slept, feeling the strong pull of having another humans life in his hands and feeling sick with worry that he might mess the whole situation up. 

Liv had her permanent moody sulk-face on from the second he’d walked through the doorway of the Mill with Sebastian tucked neatly in his arms and his changing bag slung over his shoulder. She’d been even grumpier that first morning after Sebastian had cried all night for seemingly no reason. By day seven Aaron wasn’t just feeling the effects of sleep deprivation, he was modelling them for the entire world to see. He’d spent most of his time in the Mill, sleeping when Seb did because _that’s what you do with new babies_ \- he’d read that in a Mother &Baby magazine that Chas had jokingly left on his coffee table. But Victoria would be discharged today, Paddy was going to collect her and he knew nothing would cheer her up more than seeing her death-defying Nephew, even if he was going through an early bout of the Terrible-Twos. 

Victoria looked better than she had done the day of the crash, both her legs were plastered up and even though she was managing to move around slowly with the aid of crutches she had a long way to go. Aaron had phoned her every evening with updates of his newest addition and in return she’d given him information on Roberts recovery that he’d not asked for but they both knew he wanted. They were going to wake him up within the next few days and hope that the collision hadn’t affected his brain activity, his breathing was stabilising now and as long as he had his bearings he could begin his rehabilitation. 

Victoria had commented on how _brave and loyal_ she thought Aaron was, taking on Sebastian without a moments doubt. The answer of _I’d do anything for Robert_ hung in the air though neither of them voiced it. Liv was beginning to come around by now even though she’d never dream of admitting it, Aaron had reluctantly left Seb in his cot while he took a shower one day and upon remembering he’d forgotten to grab his new shower gel from his room he’d returned, hovering in the doorway as Liv perched on the edge of his bed, watching over the baby with such awe, the tiny human gripping her index finger for dear life. If Aaron had seen tears in her eyes, he’d never call her out on it.

By the time the news of Robert’s awakening had been gossiped around the village Aaron was feeling nervous. He’d settled into somewhat of a normal routine with Seb by now, it had been weeks of getting to know one and other and now things were about to change. How would Robert feel that Aaron had been raising his son? Would he be grateful, or would he think that he’d totally overstepped the mark titled “Best Friends”? Aaron was lining Sebs tiny gums with bonjela when Vic had phoned him with news. Seb had been teething for a couple of weeks now and Aaron could see the white of his first tooth about to cut. He couldn’t wait to see his new toothy grin once he’d gotten past the pain and sleepless nights teething had brought on. 

They had a routine now, Aaron would coat his gums with bonjela and let him suck on a teether from the freezer until he’d gummed the solid block into a soft jelly ready to be re-frozen. He was lay on his back on a sensory mat on the floor as Aaron spoke to Victoria, hearing for the first time that Robert was awake and alert, and that he’d been asking for them both. 

The walk up to the recovery unit seemed to take forever, or maybe that was the constant pauses that Aaron seemed to subconsciously throw in. He had Seb positioned in a baby carrier, sleeping on his chest in his “My Dad’s a Superhero” onesie as Aaron paced the corridor. Robert was sat up in bed when they entered, his once bruised complexion faded almost to his normal tone now, his hair askew and eyes tired but he looked like his usual self, or as good as he was going to after being caught in a head-on-collision. His tired eyes grew brighter at the sight of Aaron in the doorway, holding his son protectively to his chest. Aaron shut the door behind him, locking out the sounds of the day-to-day hospital life and sinking into the silence of Roberts room. 

“Nice of Daddy to join us, ‘ey Sebby?” Aaron smiled, looking down at the rousing baby 

Robert was silent for more than was comfortable as he adjusted to the scene, watching in awe as Aaron skilfully unfastened Sebastian from his carrier and turned him to face a dumbstruck Robert who hesitated before reaching his arms out, taking his son protectively in his grip and kissing his head. A stray tear rolled down his cheek as he looked down at his boy, safe and happy, all thanks to the one man he trusted more than anyone else in the world. 

“Thank you” Robert choked out, fighting to drag his eyes from his gurgling son and fixing them on Aaron who hovered closely, noting the glistening in his eyes as he watched the embrace. 

“He missed his Daddy” Aaron commented, watching over the baby who’d become a huge part of his life already.  
“Y-You didn’t have to Aaron..” Robert swallowed “I’d have understood..”

“I _wanted_ to” Aaron reassured “Reckon I’ve got quite good at the whole parenting thing”

“Yeah?” Robert hesitated, unsure where that left the two of them

Aaron was quiet for a moment, watching as Seb suckled on his thumb before reaching out for Aaron who automatically reached his fingers out to let him grasp them, something they’d both found comfort in over the passing weeks. “Yeah” Aaron whispered. 

Robert gazed up at his husband, seeing this whole other side to him as he interacted so easily with his child. He almost didn’t realise he was staring so obviously until Aaron caught his glance, smiling warmly as he reached forward, carding his fingers slowly through Roberts hair as he relaxed into his touch. “Don’t scare us like that again” He warned, before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss to Roberts hairline. 

“Us?” Robert’s voice cracked, eyes searching his husbands nervously. 

Aaron smiled, letting his fingers fall to tangle their way into the hair at the back of Roberts neck, his other hand gripped by the tiny baby looking up at them. “Reckon we make a good team” Aaron shrugged “If you want to, that is?”

Robert swallowed the lump in his throat, looking down at his baby, _their baby_ before looking back up at his husband. “Reckon we make a good _family_ ” he smiled as Aaron leaned down, brushing his lips against his own and sparking electricity through both of their bodies. 

_I reckon we’ll be okay._


	2. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited final part. Hope it lives up to expectations x

When Robert is fit to go home Aaron switches instantly into Mother-Hen mode. It’s endearing really, watching him potter around the Mill all domestic, sending Liv off to school with her packed lunch, leaving Gerry in charge of the scrapyard while he does the stay-at-home Dad routine, waiting on Robert hand and foot through his rehabilitation. 

Robert wonders to himself how Aaron has taken so easily to fatherhood and whether most of it is just a front for Roberts reassurance, maybe behind his walls he’s a blithering wreck who’s struggling to find his place in their unusual set up. He gets his answer one early morning a few days in, it’s a little past half-two in the morning and his eyes are cemented shut with sleep, he’s so exhausted that he barely registers Aaron shift beside him when Seb begins caterwauling down the baby monitor. 

By the time he’s rubbed the sand from his eyes and focused his vision on the flashing handset Aaron is already across the landing and in to the spare room where Seb has been settling in for the last few weeks. He hears Aaron speaking softly over the monitor in a voice that Robert hasn’t heard before - a soothing tone reserved only for the youngest of the family. 

“Hey, now little Prince.. What’s all this racket about?.. You’ll wake your Daddy if you’re not careful.. there, there baby, I’m here now” he speaks softly, Sebs sobs lightening as he picks him up.

Robert pictures him holding Seb against his strong chest, swaying his hips in that comforting swing he does when he thinks no one else is watching. 

“That’s better my little boy… I’ve got you now.. A-Aaron’s here..” He stumbles at his own name and Robert can practically hear the debate in his husbands head, Daddy or Aaron?

“You’re gorgeous you are..” Aaron sighs “..just like your Daddy you are.. got me wrapped around your little finger like ‘im and all..”

Robert smiles at the comment, wishes he could be a fly on the wall right now and watch Aaron smiling down at their little boy. 

“I’ve missed out on you so much Sebby.. but I’m going to make It up to you, I promise.. me and your Daddy are stronger than ever now.. he makes me strong… and you make us both stronger.. You’re going to have the best life ever you are.. Daddy and I will make sure of it.. because he’s mine.. and you’re mine too.. you’re my little boy and I love you..”

Tears sting the back of Roberts eyes as he listens to the choked up words of his husband over the static. When Seb settles back into his cot and Aaron creeps back into their bedroom Robert pretends to be asleep, not wanting to spoil the magic of their private moment. 

\--  
\--

It’s snowing outside and Liv’s spending the night at Gabby’s house ready to go ice skating in the morning, Gerry’s not due back for another few hours after _somehow_ bagging a date with the fit barmaid from the Malt Shovel and so Robert and Aaron are having a rare quiet night in with the little one. Robert’s legs are kicked up on the sofa, taking up every inch of room with his long body and banishing Aaron to the floor where he’s lay on his stomach, tracing his fingers down the smooth surface of Seb’s sleeping form, sprawled out on his sensory mat with the TV on low. 

“He’s so perfect” Aaron sighs, counting his little toes

“You won’t be saying that when he’s screaming blue murder in a few hours” Robert laughs

“You ever think what life would be like if he hadn’t come along?”

Robert swallows nervously “I..I’m not sure..”  
“I didn’t mean _like that_ ” Aaron reassures “He’s the best thing ever, I just meant.. if he hadn’t have been born do you reckon we would have ended up with kids?” 

“I’d like to think so” Robert smiles, sliding from the sofa onto the floor

“Me too” Aaron says softly “I know It was hard at first but.. I couldn’t imagine life without him now” 

“You’re a great Dad, y’know? The best” Robert runs his fingers through Aarons hair softly

Aaron looks taken aback “Y-You mean that?” 

“Of course I do, look at the proof” He gestures to the content baby “We wouldn’t have made it through the last few months without you” 

“I know that.. I just mean.. you think of me as.. his.. his Dad?” Aaron whispers shyly. 

“You’re his Daddy, Aaron.. I knew that from the first moment I set eyes on you both..” Robert kisses his forehead softly “We’re his Daddy’s and he’s our baby son” 

\--  
\--

It’s well into Spring by the time Sebastian hits Six months old, he’s lively and excitable now, more aware of his surroundings and loves a good walk through the village with Aaron pushing him while Robert gets his morning paperwork sorted out. It’s become a habit now that Doug stops them on their way down Main Street, loading off whatever assortment of vegetables he has that day into the bottom of the pushchair. Seb’s been weaning just over a two weeks by now and he definitely has Aaron’s appetite, or so Robert says - they’d started off with puréed vegetables but as soon as they started finger foods Aaron realised he had competition for the last piece of toast in the mornings. 

They spend the afternoon in the pub with Chas and Diane cooing over the baby while they all crowd around the table for a fancy lunch, they’ve shoved two of the wooden four-seater’s together to make a longer table and when Marlon’s not tutting at the unorganised arrangement he’s pulling goofy faces at the baby. Robert’s trying his best to make rice pudding look exciting and new but Seb’s having none of it, instead reaching over to Aaron’s plate to steal a carrot, giggling and gurgling as Aaron gasps playfully and calls him a cheeky boy. 

It’s nearing 3pm when they get their last drinks in, ready to take Seb back for his afternoon nap and enjoy the kid-free time while Liv hangs around at the Thomas’ and Gerry makes himself scarce till teatime. Robert and Aaron are leaning against the bar listening to Victoria’s story about how Marlon nearly burnt the kitchen down, Aaron’s pretending not to see Liv sneakily feeding Seb a bit of pizza after so obviously scolding Gerry for trying to do the same with his cheeseburger. 

By the time they arrive back at the Mill Seb is out for the count, a year ago they might have raced upstairs to make use of the kid-free zone but there’s something domestic in the way they’re living now and curling up on the sofa together to watch daytime TV and cuddle has become something of a ritual for them. Robert’s showing off trying to guess all the answers before the Chaser and Aaron’s got his head lay on his chest chuckling away to Bradley Walsh’s innuendoes. Sure maybe their lives aren’t as exciting and vibrant as their affair era but they’re happy, they have a home, a family and each other. Aaron looks up at Robert, his husband and father of their son engrossed in boring daytime telly with his arms slung lazily around Aaron’s body and he feels nothing but love, admiration and happiness.

He’s happy, even if it took the best part of twenty-six years to get there.


End file.
